By Adeola Badru

A former Senate President of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), Akinteye Babatunde Afeez, popularly known as Babtee, has declared his intention to contest for the office of president of the association, unveiling a five-point agenda tagged “EPOCH.”

Akinteye made the declaration while addressing stakeholders of the Nigerian students’ movement, including zonal coordinators, executives from the six geopolitical zones, Joint Campus Council (JCC) leaders, Students’ Union Government (SUG) presidents, and members of the press.

In his speech, the aspirant said his ambition was driven by a desire to serve Nigerian students rather than the pursuit of power or popularity. He added that his years of involvement in the students’ movement had prepared him for the responsibility of leading the apex student body in the country.

According to him, his journey within NANS spans several leadership positions, including Joint Campus Council chairman, Vice President (External Affairs) and Senate President, roles he said gave him deeper insight into the challenges and aspirations of students across Nigeria.

Akinteye said his engagements across campuses nationwide had exposed him to the realities faced by students and strengthened his understanding of their collective interests. He added that the student movement has continued to defend the interests of Nigerian students since the era of the defunct National Union of Nigerian Students (NUNS).

Highlighting past interventions, he recalled that as Vice President (External Affairs), he engaged the registrar of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) over challenges faced by Direct Entry candidates at the board’s Ikoyi office in Lagos, which he said led to the decongestion of the centre and an extension of the registration deadline for affected students.

He also cited advocacy efforts during the evacuation of Nigerian students affected by the conflict in Sudan, noting that he was present at the airport to receive some of the returning students.

The aspirant further referenced his participation in protests against the prolonged strike by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), which disrupted academic activities in universities across the country.

Reflecting on his tenure as Senate President, Akinteye said he led a delegation to the headquarters of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over the alleged arrest of students of the Federal University of Technology Akure (FUTA), an intervention he said contributed to their release.

He also mentioned engagements on student-related issues in several institutions, including the University of Benin and Obafemi Awolowo University, as well as advocacy for clarity on the Federal Government’s ban on certificates from universities in the Benin Republic and Togo.

Speaking on his campaign vision, Akinteye unveiled the “EPOCH” agenda, which he described as a leadership framework aimed at empowering Nigerian students and repositioning NANS.

He said the agenda focuses on empowerment, progress, opportunity, collaboration and human capacity development, which would guide his administration if elected.

According to him, the empowerment component is designed to strengthen students’ voices, while the progress pillar will focus on improving student welfare and academic opportunities.

He added that the opportunity pillar would prioritise access to scholarships, mentorship programmes and internships, while collaboration would encourage partnerships with government institutions, private organisations and development partners.

Akinteye said the human capacity development aspect would focus on equipping Nigerian students with practical skills, knowledge and personal development programmes needed to thrive in a competitive global environment.

He called on students nationwide to support his vision, expressing confidence that the EPOCH agenda would usher in a new phase of purposeful leadership within the association.